I’ve been rebuilding my attic access as described by Mike Guertin in the June/july 2002 article “Airtight Attic Access” and am running into some difficulties. Ignoring for a second the truss uplift which will make picture framing the opening a joy (arched drywall ceiling), has anyone else tried this method and had difficulty getting the lower hatch in? With a 16 inch shaft and 2 inch foamboard above and below, there just doesn’t seem to be room to get the lower hatch in no matter how I angle it. I can push the upper hatch up, but with the foam cut tight to the walls it then won’t drop back in when I get the lower panel turned. I seem to have two options: 1) try cutting the lower panel smaller and see if then I’m able to get it in without it falling back through the opening, or 2)skipping an upper hatch entirely and just gluing additional layers of foamboard to the lower hatch for better insulation. Anyone with any better thoughts out there? Am I missing something obvious? Thanks for any help!
Erich Buehler
Replies
If you have the room for a pull-down stair, this one has a weatherstripped insulated hatch that closes with a long metal "key" that turns double cam locks to pull it up airtight.
http://www.conservationtechnology.com/downloads/AtticLadder.pdf
I used this in a superinsulated house I built, that had 16" of cellulose in the ceiling with a double rough-sawn 2x8 cross-hatched frame for a storage space above. I also made a site-built upper wooden hatch with an additional 6" of foam board that was hinged on the side with a handle for easy closing.
Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
Sadly, the access is at the end of a narrow hall, middle of the house and perpendicular to the trusses, so their ladder won't fit. I've bookmarked the site though, may need some of their other stuff... Thanks for the lead!